The half-ounce gold medal of the Czech Mint, which is part of the free cycle of the most beautiful unrealised designs entered into the Czech National Bank's competitions, pays tribute to the ČKD Tatra T3 tram.

Trams - like trains - use rails to move around, but we come across them mainly inside cities, where they are a key element of public transport. Between the world wars, however, they seemed to disappear from the streets altogether, due to the rapid development of the automobile. The then small two-axle trams were slow, cumbersome and uncomfortable compared to cars and buses. But then, in the United States of America, a very different concept of urban rail transport was born, called PCC. The new large-capacity trams had two double-axle swivel bogies, with each axle having its own traction motor and speed controlled by a so-called accelerator. The concept, which was characterised by smooth starting and silent, quiet operation, was also popular in Czechoslovakia, where it was applied in the construction of Tatra trams. It all started with the T1 type, whose capacity soon proved insufficient. This was followed by the Tatra T2, which was more spacious, but at the cost of more weight. Finally came the much lighter Tatra T3, which was one of the most modern vehicles of its time. Advanced materials - plastics and fibreglass - were used in its construction. It was not only capacious, comfortable, powerful and fast, but also elegant and timeless thanks to its rounded front and two round reflectors. A representative product of Czechoslovak industry, it has also caught the attention of foreign countries. Large series were exported to the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Romania and East Germany, but the Tatra T3 did not go to the West. The Communist regime refused to pay the Americans for the use of the PCC concept.  Nevertheless, the iconic car became the most produced tram in history. We can still ride some of the 14,000 examples today…

The design of the medal maker Petra Brodská, DiS. The expert committee of the Czech National Bank awarded it first place in the art competition, but the Bank Board finally decided to implement a different design. The obverse side presents a side view of a tram, two three-quarter views and a detail of an accelerator. The reverse side of the medal then offers another side view of the car, but most importantly you can see the interior of the tram and a detail of the driver's station.

The medal is issued in an edition of only 99 pieces. Each piece is hand numbered on the edge.